The Darjeeling Limited

The Darjeeling Limited, part-comedy, part-travelogue, follows 3 brothers, Francis, Peter, and Jack, as they embark on a spiritual journey across India. Filmed entirely in Jodhpur, The Darjeeling Limited sets a beautiful precedence for tourism-esque films, as Director Wes Anderson’s painstaking cinematography captures India as a sacred destination.

In The Darjeeling Limited, The 3 brothers reunite in India for what’s meant as a journey of self-discovery, on a train called The Darjeeling Limited. The story develops as the 3 brothers attempt to fix a void left behind by their Father, who was the binding entity in their family’s harmony and cohesion. The movie later reveals that Francis, the one who organised this trip, was secretly searching for their mother, who has absconded to India after the Fathers death to become a nun. We watch as the 3 brothers go through many trials and tribulations while attempting to connect with the spiritual land of India.

Anderson masterfully incorporates outstanding visuals of India’s cultural sites and natural beauty into the film, while promoting India as an esoteric destination for travellers looking for soul-searching and mystique. Likely inspired by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a designated World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1999, we watch as the 3 brothers travel India and the Himalayas via train. In the first act of the film, the 3 brothers visited a Sikh temple in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, where they took part in rituals with locals. While the 3 brothers struggled in hilarity as they got confused by the rituals and awkwardly tried to fit in with the locals, the film never forgot to include the admonishing decor of the temple and captivate us with symbolic artifacts and ceremonial objects; a glimpse into India’s Hindu religion and rich culture. The film continued with adventures of the 3 brothers, visiting a local marketplace, a local village, the Udaipur Airport (an old terminal building), before the story climaxes at the Osian Dunes at the Himalayas.

The Darjeeling Limited has received worldwide acclaim for its setting in India. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3.5/4, calling the film’s Indian context as one of its main highlights. Ebert has lauded Anderson’s usage of India ” not in a touristy way, but as a backdrop.” Nevertheless, this film has stirred the tourism industry worldwide, with media outlets such as Vogue, and The National Geographic, compiling a list of luxury liners for ardent fans of the movie looking to recreate the 3 brothers’ journey.

The Darjeeling Limited is a stellar film that has portrayed India in its deserved glory and has indubitably riveted the hearts of excited gallivants and globetrotters, itching to book their next trip to the charismatic land of Incredible India